The Workers Circle Annual Benefit

Democracy, The Power of Partnerships

Monday, December 4, 2023

TRIBECA 360

Honoring Black Voters Matter
with The Workers Circle Activism Award

Black Voters Matter and the Workers Circle are forging a national partnership to educate and empower voters across the United States to mobilize for a truly multiracial, multicultural democracy. Inspired by the strong Black and Jewish partnerships of the civil rights movement and building upon three years of shared actions including civil disobedience for voting rights, mobilizing people to the polls, and legislative advocacy, we know solidarity is the only way to prevail against attacks on our democracy and rights. Together, we are fighting forward, shoulder-to-shoulder, for the America we must become.

About Black Voters Matter

Black Voters Matter goal is to increase power in marginalized, predominantly Black communities. We believe that effective voting allows a community to determine its own destiny. We agree with the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. when he said, “Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love.”

LaTosha Brown of Black Voters Matter

LaTosha Brown is an accomplished visionary thought leader, institution builder, cultural activist, artist, and connector. She is a prominent expert on Black voting rights, voter suppression, Black women's empowerment, and philanthropy. Her voice serves as a bridge between the Civil Rights Movement, the Black Power Movement, and Black Lives Matter.

  • LaTosha is the co-founder of the Black Voters Matter Fund and Black Voters Matter Capacity Building Institute, which are designed to increase voting registration and turnout in marginalized Black communities. Additionally, she is the visionary, founder, and co-anchor of the Southern Black Girls & Women’s Consortium, a $100 million, 10-year initiative to invest in organizations that serve Black women and girls.

    In 2021, LaTosha Brown was named one of Glamour Magazine's "Women of the Year" for inspiring voter turnout and mobilizing hundreds of thousands of citizens, resulting in three historic wins for the Democratic Party in the state of Georgia. She is also the 2020 Hauser Leader at the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard Kennedy School, the 2020 Leader in Practice at Harvard Kennedy School's Women and Public Policy Program, and a 2020-2021 American Democracy Fellow at the Charles Warren Center at Harvard.

    LaTosha Brown is an international businesswoman who has worked in 23 different countries. She is dedicated to resourcing and empowering women globally. She has been featured in numerous media outlets such as ABC, CBS, CNN, Democracy Now, PBS, the New York Times, Politico, and Essence. Additionally, she has been featured in the docuseries What’s Eating America? American Swamp, and Finding Justice. To learn more about LaTosha, please visit her website at www.ms.latoshabrown.com.

 
Cliff Albright of Black Voters Matter

Cliff Albright is a political economist, speaker, and activist. As the Co-founder and Executive Director of Black Voters Matter and Black Voters Matter Capacity Building Institute, Cliff discusses the importance of building power through voting and economic development. He has a deep understanding of how Black politics and Black economics are linked, and views these two strategies as complementary, rather than opposing forces.

  • He began his journey in activism as a junior at Cornell University, leading student protests related to financial aid. His activism continued during grad school, where he co-led a movement which resulted in the college's first Latino Living Learning Unit. His activism, combined with his knowledge of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) during the Civil Rights Movement, makes him a perfect choice to talk to college-aged youth regarding their involvement in the current racial justice movement. Cliff graduated from Cornell University with his B.S. in Applied Economics and an M.P.S. in Africana Studies. He also has an M.B.A. from the University of Alabama.

    Cliff is a specialist in voter mobilization strategies, economic development, and Black political economy, as well as in the history of the voting rights movement and current battles against voter suppression. He has spent a considerable portion of his life working on building economic power and understanding the relationship between Black politics and Black economics. In 2017, BVM garnered national attention for their work in the U.S. Senate race between Doug Jones and Roy Moore. Since then, Cliff and the BVM team have been traveling throughout thirteen primarily southern states on “The Blackest Bus in America”, to energize voters and to tackle issues of voter suppression. Black Voters Matter is an organization that works to empower Black voters through education and engagement. Founded in 2016, the group has since expanded its reach to 25+ states, collaborating with more than 400 local and national partners.

    Cliff Albright is an award-winning activist and advocate for racial justice. In 2020, he was named a Soros Equality Fellow. His work has been featured on major news networks, such as CNN, Democracy Now, MSNBC, The Last Word, and more. Additionally, he has had Op-Eds showcased in major publications, such as The New York Times, Blavity, The Guardian, and TruthOut.

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A BIG THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

  • DIAMOND SPONSOR:
    Anonymous

  • PLATINUM SPONSOR:
    Tabak Family

  • GOLD SPONSOR:
    Robert and Marcia Kaplan
    United Federation of Teachers

  • SILVER SPONSOR:
    Tito’s Vodka
    Workers United

  • BRONZE SPONSOR:
    Anonymous
    Jesse Eisenberg and Anna Strout
    Michelle Green and Robert Stulberg
    Jack Lusk and Jane Herzog
    Rich Rumelt and Jean Hannah Erlbaum
    Rachael Sage
    Bernice D. Siegal, Rebecca Lynch, and Sara Lynch
    Marc and Barbara Slutsky
    Public Service Advancement Fund

 2023 ANNUAL BENEFIT HOST COMMITTEE

Jesse Eisenberg

Malky Goldman

Darius Brown

Jessica Brown

Rev. Mark Thompson


Jesse Eisenberg is an Academy Award nominated actor and playwright. His new movie, A Real Pain, which he wrote, directed, and acted in follows Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin as estranged cousins who join a Holocaust tour in Poland. 

“The theme for this year's Workers Circle Benefit, 'Democracy: The Power of Partnerships,' highlights enduring values of social justice and equality. By honoring Black Voters Matter, we come together to celebrate the strength of communities striving for a more inclusive democracy.”



Jessica Brown is honored to be a member of the host committee for this year’s Workers Circle Benefit. She currently serves as the Executive Director of The Global Lehrhaus, a nonprofit committed to fostering inclusive dialogues on our world's most vital issues drawing inspiration from the legacy of Martin Buber's Frankfurt Lehrhaus. She holds a master's degree from the University of Chicago Divinity School and a B.A. from the George Washington Elliott School of International Affairs in Washington DC. Through her work and research, Jessica has committed herself to promoting understanding and driving positive change in our global community. 

A native of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Jessica now calls New York City home, where she resides with her loyal canine companion, Richard.

“It’s a privilege to be part of the Worker's Circle Annual Benefit, honoring the important work of Black Voters Matter. This event is a powerful example of how diverse communities can come together to pursue social justice and create positive change in our democracy. “



Malky Goldman is an actor, artist, and writer currently located in New York City. She was born and raised in a Yiddish-speaking home in Jerusalem, Israel, she relocated to the United States and graduated from Hunter College with a Degree in Fine Art. Her creative portfolio spans several visual media disciplines that include film, theater and painting, and sometimes a combination of all three.

Her films include a Chasidic Horror film called The Vigil (Blumhouse/BoulderLight) directed by Kieth Thomas which premiered at TIFF and distributed by IFC. She plays Helen in The Performance, a film by Shira Piven. As well as in the Netflix show Unorthodox, and the HBO show High Maintenance. She stars in the film Castles, with the late Lynn Cohen, premiering at the New York Jewish Film Festival.

She has previously appeared in a couple of stage productions such as playing Hedda Gabler, starring as Daisy in the Yiddish production of Rhinoceros by the New Yiddish Rep, and in the critically acclaimed NYR production of the God of Vengeance.

“I'm thrilled to be a part of the Workers Circle Benefit’s Host Committee. This year, I’m excited to honor Black Voters Matter, an organization dedicated to empowering Black communities and ensuring their voices are heard. Together, let's unite in love and justice to make a meaningful impact.”